Why Are My JBL Earbuds So Quiet? (Fix It FAST in 7 Steps!)

Asking “why are my JBL earbuds so quiet?” You ask the questions, and we will answer them!

Although the JBL earbuds are a high-end device, even with the best products on the market you may encounter weird issues such as unexplained quietness.

Don’t worry, this guide will help you identify and resolve the problem by using some of the best and tested troubleshooting solutions.

When your JBL earbuds are too quiet, increase the volume from ALL sources, clean the inner speakers, and disable any audio limiters on your source.

Additionally, troubleshoot the Bluetooth signal and reset your JBL earbuds.

Let’s jump straight into the troubleshooting steps!

Why Are My JBL Earbuds So Quiet? – Quick & Easy Solutions

Tip: We recommend following the solutions in order!

1. Increase the Output Volume

The first and one of the most important steps is to make sure that the volume on your playback setup is increased from all sources.

When your JBL earbuds are paired to a source device, let’s say a Bluetooth smartphone, there are three sources from where you can increase the volume.

Those would be the earbud’s volume, the source device’s output volume, and the in-app media volume controller.

So, here’s an in-depth look at how to increase the volume from all 3 sources:

Increase Earbuds Volume:

The first source to increase the volume is your JBL earbuds. If you didn’t know the right earbud has a volume controller as well as a Play/Pause button. 

By tapping the JBL logo you can Play or Pause the playback, and by rotating your finger up and down around the logo you can increase/decrease the volume.

Increase Source’s Volume:

The source’s volume is your playback device’s volume, regardless of whether it’s a PC, mobile, or other Bluetooth device.

If it’s a mobile phone, press the Volume (+) button on the side 5–10 times, and if it’s a computer, locate the sound settings and drag the volume slider to the right.

Increase Media’s Volume:

The 3rd and final source to increase is the in-app volume controller.

Well, most, if not all popular apps such as YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music have an in-app volume controller, which also affects the global strength of the audio output.

So, crank up the volume to at least 75 percent. If your JBL earbuds are still quiet, continue reading.

2. Clean your Earbuds Speakers

A widely known problem with the JBL earbud’s low volume is obstructed or clogged speakers that can make the audio output very quiet or muffled.

There is only one way to resolve such a problem and the solution is cleaning the inner speakers.

The speakers of the JBL earbuds are located behind the rubber tip, which can be removed by pulling it out gently.

So, if you see earwax or dirt accumulation on the speakers of the earbuds, that explains why they are so quiet and shows the culprit.

Here’s how to safely clean the speakers of your JBL earbuds:

1. Gently pull out the rubber tips from both earbuds.
2. Then, you will need 2–3 completely dry ear sticks. 
3. Using the earsticks, remove the earwax and dirt.
4. Blow into the speakers to unclog hardened debris.
5. Securely, put back the rubber tips on the earbuds.

When ready, test if your JBL earbuds are still quiet. If yes, continue reading…

3. Stop the Volume Restrictions

If you didn’t know, the quietness of your JBL earbuds may be coming from audio limitations on your source device.

Such limitations are the Android’s volume limiter and Apple’s headphone safety settings.

These options actively reduce the loudness, to prevent any harm and damage.

However, in some cases, these settings do not prevent anything, but the user from hearing an audible sound, so we recommend disabling them.

How to Disable Volume Limiter on Android?

1. First, go to Settings → Sound and Vibrations.
2. Then, locate and enter the “Volume” menu tab.
3. Finally, verify the “Media Volume Limit” is OFF.

Note: Some Androids may not have such a setting!

How to Disable Headphone Safety on iOS?

1. From the main screen, open the “Settings” app.
2. Then, scroll down and enter “Sound & Haptics.”
3. From there, press on the “Headphone Safety.”
4. Verify that the “Reduce Loud Sounds” is OFF.

Whenever all audio limiters and restrictions are disabled, test whether your JBL earbuds are still quiet, and if they are, perhaps something else is causing the issue.

So, keep reading to find out!

4. Optimize the Bluetooth Signal

Still asking “why are my JBL wireless earbuds so quiet?” It could be due to the Bluetooth link!

The Bluetooth signal is the number one factor deciding the audibility and loudness of your JBL earbuds when paired to a source device.

So, if the Bluetooth signal is weak and inconsistent, your JBL earbuds may start cutting out, be extremely quiet, or simply drop their connection.

So, we’ve prepared a few proven ways to uplift and optimize the Bluetooth signal:

• Keep the JBL earbuds and source within a 15-foot range.
• Turn OFF the Bluetooth setting of nearby wireless devices.
• Toggle ON and OFF the Bluetooth feature of your source.
• Verify your source and earbuds have a clear line of sight.

If everything regarding the Bluetooth connection is intact, but the JBL earbuds are quiet, then the connection may be facing a different kind of issue.

Let’s proceed to the next solution…

5. Forget and Reconnect Earbuds

As mentioned, the quietness of your JBL earbuds is most likely caused by the Bluetooth pairing to your source device.

Hence, an ultimate way of resetting this connection is by forgetting your JBL earbuds’s Bluetooth profile on your mobile unit and re-establishing the pairing from scratch.

How to Disconnect Earbuds on Android?

1. Go to the “Settings” → “Device Connection.”
2. Head to “Bluetooth” or “Connected Devices.”
3. Locate the Bluetooth profile of your JBL buds.
4. Tap the cogwheel next to the earbuds profile.
5. When the prompt opens, press on “FORGET.”

How to Disconnect Earbuds on Apple iOS?

1. From the main screen, open the “Settings” app.
2. Then tap on the “Bluetooth” section in the menu.
3. Next, locate your JBL earbuds connection profile.
4. Tap on the “i” (Info) button next to the JBL profile.
5. Tap “Remove this Device” which will forget them.

When your JBL earbuds are successfully unpaired from your source device, re-establish the connection from scratch and test whether they are still quiet.

Note: If using a Windows or MacBook, you can forget the connection by opening the Bluetooth options either from the Taskbar or from the Apple Menu.

6. Pair the JBLs to Different Unit

Now that you’ve learned how to disconnect the Bluetooth profile of your JBL earbuds, if they are still quiet, repeat the steps, but this time pair to a different device.

This will help you determine if the quietness of your earbuds comes from the source.

To pair your JBL earbuds to a different device, put them into the charging capsule, close the lid for 60 seconds, and take them out.

Then, verify that the earbuds are not paired to your previous device and locate “JBL LIVE” in your device’s Bluetooth.

If your JBL earbuds are quiet on multiple devices, continue reading!

7. Factory Reset the JBL Earbuds

If nothing works and your JBL earbuds are still quiet, one last solution that you should attempt is to perform a factory reset process.

This method will ultimately disconnect or forget the earbuds from your source device, and revert them to their original settings, which should fix the problem.

Here’s how to factory reset your JBL earbuds in easy steps:

1. First, eject both earbuds from the charging capsule.
2. Ensure that your JBL earbuds are currently working.
3. Next, tap one earbud twice, and on the 3rd tap, hold.
4. After about 5 seconds, both JBL earbuds will reset.

If you have the JBL headphones app, you can factory reset the earbuds from there by going to the “Support” tab and selecting “Reset to Factory Settings.” 

When you’re ready, you’ll need to pair your JBL earbuds back to your Bluetooth source device and test whether the quietness of the earbuds is now gone.

If not, unfortunately, the issue may be hardware-related, which means that the problem can’t be solved at home, so seek servicing.

Warning: If you have the JBL headphones app, all in-app settings will be permanently erased!

Quick Recap

Why are my JBL earbuds so quiet?

So, if your JBL earbuds are quiet, first increase the volume from all sources, clean the speakers, and disable any activated volume restrictions.

Also, optimize the Bluetooth connection and factory reset your JBL earbuds.

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